INDONESIA: Indonesia's Sumatra flooding kills 22, thousands away from homes

The floods in Indonesia's Aceh and North Sumatra provinces have left 22 people dead and six people missing, officials said on Sunday (December 24). Reports said 11 people were carried away by floods and 17 houses were washed out in Kuala Simpang. Water has started to increase from four to five-metre high. In Langkat, North Sumatra, ten people died while three are missing. The floods also have affected five districts in Aceh. There are twelve people died, three are still missing and hundreds were wounded in Aceh, offcials said. In Langkat, North Sumatra, about 11 hectares of cropland were destroyed in 12 out of 20 sub-districs. Officials in Langkat blamed the heavy rains that began on Friday as well as the heavy deforestation of the region. Ten thousands of people have fled their homes. In Langkat, nearly 6,000 people are living in temporary residences at shelters while in Aceh the number is close to 50,000 including about 500 in Bener Meriah. However, this morning a lot of more Bener Meriah residences have left their homes in the mountains area. Residents are also worried about possible landslides. Relief aid is continuously sent to the affected areas by crisis centre in Medan, North Sumatra and Jakarta. North Sumatra officials said that 4.5 kilometres of roads connecting North Sumatra and Aceh have been cut off by floods. Governor of North Sumatra, Rudolf M. Pardede, has asked Pertamina, the state oil company, to supply shelters with needs such as kerosene and other items to help the flood victims.

ITN Source | December 24, 2006

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